Sometimes in life, us guys like the hi tech stuff.  But there are times where we enjoy the simpler things in life.  Sometimes the old school cool things from our childhood or things that we can get some daily use out of become the best gifts that we ever get.  Here are some great picks for some cool gear.

For any guy that has an outdoor lifestyle, be it at work or play, one of the most versatile things he can take with him on a daily basis is going to be a multi-tool.  Why not pony up to one of the best knife makers in history and pick up something from Swiss?  That’s where the SwissTool Spirit  ($100) is going to come in.  Weighing in at a little under six ounces this thing isn’t going to be bothersome to carry on your waist or in a pocket.  But it comes with over 20 different tools in it.  Perfect little tool when you need something in a pinch. 

Having a cordless drill that can punch through concrete might be a little excessive.  But as men, we make up for our shortcomings by having cool toys.  But if you work in construction or just have a serious home improvement bug up your back side, then you are going to need something that won’t let you down.  And the Rockwell 12volt H3 ($180) is going to be just the answer.  Covered by a lifetime battery replacement, this thing just might survive you.  With a quick change chuck system you can switch from drilling concrete, to wood, to driving screws in seconds.  Complete with a LED light, you can get your work done in the dark.  Not to mention this thing looks like it will fit in your hand well, since it doesn’t have the bulky battery on the bottom like most cordless drills. 

Speaking of getting your work done in the dark, have you ever tried to cradle a flashlight in-between your head and neck while trying to fix something?  Yeah, that just leads down a road of being pissed off and kicking a wall.  Why not pick up a couple of items that will help you with your lighting needs?  First up is the Stanley Heavy Duty Clamp Light ($22.50).  With the ability to clamp to just about anything and gives you 350 degree rotational head and 120 degree tilting power.  Best yet is that is can run on either two or four “C” batteries depending on how many you have in that drawer in the kitchen.  With four batteries, this light will give you 30 hours of wonderful, beautiful light.  But what if you don’t have anything to clamp to and you just need a light.  Something small, compact, that looks like an octopus should do the trick.  The original Gorillatorch ($29.95) fits this description perfectly.  WIth up to 80 hours of lighting time, magnetic feet, no skid feet as well, and those beautiful dangly legs.  This light can go pretty much anywhere.  We’ve used one under the sink replacing a faucet and it worked like a champ.  We had it ninja’d around the pipe and didn’t even worry when it got wet, cause yeah it is water proof.  This one runs on just four “AA” batteries and packs a big 65 lumens of lighting power. 

Every guy needs a great place to put his stuff.  While all those great tools are sitting away in the garage or shed they need a nice comfy home to hang in right?  This next item might be a bit on the extreme side as well, but it is cool and that makes for a good enough reason to have it on hand.  From Kobalt, the 16-Drawer 53″ Stainless Steel Tool Chest ($1500) is just what the doctor ordered.  Not only does this thing have room for just about every tool on the planet, but it has a stereo and fridge built right in.  Great place for your music and Four Loko stash.  The drawers come lined with the nice Kobalt blue liners to cradle your tools while they lay in wait for the next project.  If that seems a little extreme (and it might be) most guys could probably get by with a simple new work bench.  Kobalt also has a great 3-Drawer Workbench ($189) that might fit the bill.  Power enabled, led light, and that cool cork board stuff for hanging hand tools.  This is a more economical work surface for most guys to have in the garage.

For those that live where it is cold and have to contend with more of the elements.  You probably have some form of wood burning fireplace/pit to warm you on those cold winter nights.  A time-honored tradition has always been going out into the world and gathering fuel for this fire.  You are going to need something to put the kibosh on all those dead trees right?  No worries, we’ve got that covered too.  First off your going to need a good chain saw for the major cutting.  Why not go with a STIHL?  The MS 250 C-BE Chain Saw ($330) is the perfect one for you.  Coming with their Easy2Start system means you spend more time cutting, less time cussing out your chain saw for not starting.  This will cut through logs up to a foot thick like a hot knife through butter. 

Once you’ve got the big logs cut up, you’re going to need to do some splitting.  And you could go out and get your everyday axe at the hardware store.  But that just isn’t your (or our) style now is it?  Of course we are going to go Gerber on you with this one.  Gerber’s Extra Large Axe ($69.00) is just the tool you want.  Most of all, it is practically indestructible.  Which is why we choose it for you.  The stainless steel head is a thing of beauty and the handle is glass filled.  This axe is perfectly balanced, making your log splitting chores that much easier.   And for those smaller chopping projects, we also recommend from Gerber, the Back Paxe ($54.00).  Same technology as the big boy, but just smaller and easier to use. 

There is our quick look at some of the tools/accessories that would make great gifts for those handymen that you might know.  But rest assured that anything at Lowes or Home Depot will probably put a huge smile on anyone’s face.